aleppo

A senior United Nations humanitarian official has reported that though damage to Aleppo was extreme, aid workers were nonetheless inspired by signs of optimism and hope, and asked that peace be given a chance.

In his last press conference as UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon delivered stark warnings on two issues at the forefront of international concern: that “the carnage in Syria remains a gaping hole in the global conscience;” and that South Sudan faces a risk of genocide as the country leaders have “squandered a peace agreement.”

As a humanitarian catastrophe worsens by the day in East Aleppo with tens of thousands of people at risk of starvation in what the UN has described as a "kill zone", eight CEOs of leading humanitarian organisations have written to Theresa May to urge her to work with European partners and the G7 to take bold steps to protect Syria's civilians.

The UN has warned mass starvation in Aleppo is a real prospect if aid is not allowed in. As the city comes under further bombardment and food is about to run out, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh and Hindu faith leaders have called on the UK Government to act.

Fears for the safety of civilians in eastern and western Aleppo city are mounting amid the looming threat of a resumption and possible escalation of fighting and bombardment by Syrian government forces – with Russian support – and non-state armed groups once a 'humanitarian pause' in the city comes to an end says Amnesty International.

The Joint Public Issues Team of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Church in Wales, the Church of Scotland, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church. together with Quakers in Britain, have released a statement calling upon the Syrian and Russian Governments and other forces to stop their bombardment of Aleppo.

The attack on a UN/Syrian Arab Red Crescent aid convoy, intended for 78,000 people in Aleppo, is a flagrant violation of the most fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, Amnesty International said.